Maple Ridge, BC, hopes to soon become one of the many municipalities across Canada taking affordable housing matters into its own hands by developing an affordable housing strategy. Drawing inspiration from nearby Coquitlam, Maple Ridge is looking into developing an affordable housing fund, and a land bank to help encourage new development. It is also looking further afield to encourage all newly constructed single-family units to be finished with a secondary suite. This would ensure a larger supply of basement apartments for lower income families and individuals. In developing the affordable housing strategy, Mike Murray, general manager of the local community development department, is keen to cast the city's net as wide as possible. Municipalities can contribute in a variety of ways, and do not always have to resort to direct funding. As Coquitlam has demonstrated, by-law changes encouraging secondary suites, and donating excess and unused land to a land bank can have a positive impact on affordable housing development.While Murray acknowledged his disappointment that the Federal government still lacks an affordable housing plan, he is keen that Maple Ridge does everything it can to support new affordable developments. The last time Maple Ridge developed an affordable housing strategy was in 1991, and much has changed since then. Councillors say that residents today are more polarized - the gap between rich and poor has grown significantly, particularly over the past decade. To Mike Murray this is all the more reason why the affordable housing strategy needs urgent attention. Once the strategy has been developed, Maple Ridge will have to submit it to Metro Vancouver.
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